A ton, that is in common vernacular, a short ton is 2000 lbs.

A half ton is 1000 lbs.

Based upon its configuration, a Toyota Tacoma with a V6 has a rated payload capacity of 1370-1620 lbs.  That's well over 1/2 ton.  Towing capacity of 6800 lbs.  I own a 2nd generation Tacoma with a V6.  I own a half ton+ truck.

A Ford F-150 in its stripped down configuration with a V6 has a a rated payload capacity of 1920 pounds.  Towing capacity 5100 pounds.  Almost two tons payload capacity, but much less towing capacity probably due to the weight of the full sized truck.

An F-150 with a 5.0 V8 suddenly becomes a 2310 lb (one ton +) payload, 9300 lb. towing monster, which it should be.

My point is that I don't get the 1/2 ton classification.  My 2nd generation Tacoma is a 1/2 ton truck.  A V6 F-150 is almost a one ton truck.  A V8  F-150 is a one ton+ monster.  I'm not going to bother with the F-250's at this point.

What am I missing here?  Why are full sized trucks just considered 1/2 ton trucks?

All questions and comments are welcomed and encouraged.  Thank you for your time.

It's an archaic designation.

If you put 1620 lbs in your tavo, you'd be buying a new set of leaf springs.

Not really its a one ton in most of the rest of the world.

The 1/2, 3/4, 1, 2 1/2 ton ratings are its offroad capacity. On road a truck can carry more. A 2 1/2 ton truck could carry 10,000lbs on road and 5,000 off.

http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/2015-ford-f-150-can-tow-12-200-lbs-carry-an-absurd-3-3-1640231826

Tacom<>Hilux.

Hell my jeep comanche has a higher payload capacity than the f150 of the same year.  So it's got to be like a 3/4 ton right?  

Great article on it here: http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/truck-sizes-classification-explained-from-tacomas-to-1613958192

Tacoma is Class 1 any way you look at it, because of GVWR.

Highlights below:



The US DOT puts trucks into classes by "Gross Vehicle Weight Rating" (GVWR) ranked from 1 to 8 (smallest to largest).
GVWR refers to the maximum operating weight a truck can possibly carry while driving including the truck itself. GVWR classes have nothing to do with what parts the truck is fitted with, how beefy the suspension is, or what the truck looks like. They are solely based on weight.


Weight category definitions from 49CFR565.6 (2000)

As you saw above, pickup trucks live in in Class 1, 2, and 3. Class 1 trucks are very small, pretty much only the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier are there at this point. The Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra, and Nissan Titan fall into Class 2.

Manufacturers also consider a "Class 2B" (GVWR 8,500 to 10,000 pounds) because 8,500 pounds is the cutoff at which they no longer have to provide EPA MPG estimates on window stickers. This includes "heavy-duty pickups" like the Ford Super Duty, Chevrolet and GMC 2500s, and Ram 2500s. "3500" pickups are basically all Class 3 trucks as far as GVWR is concerned.

Trucks were initially advertised based on payload because they "competed directly against horse-drawn wagons" which is pretty wild to think about.

The classes that stuck were "Half-Ton," "Three-Quarter Ton," and "One Ton." Those designations came about years ago when each manufacturer pretty much offered three trucks and those were the minimum payloads they were respectively capable of.

These classes are confusing now because they're pegged to capability-levels modern vehicles have long surpassed. For example, a 2014 Ford F-150 is considered a "half ton" truck but most variants can carry a lot more than 1,000 pounds in the bed.

Besides the highlighted math fail, it's really just an anachronism.  A meaningless designator that the companies have just never abandoned.  Both GM and Ford have towing packages for half-ton trucks that exceed 10,000 lbs.  But it's just for bragging rights.  The trailer towing rating is a meaningless number.  The numbers that matter are GVWR and GCWR.

Oh, and good luck pulling a 6800-lb trailer with your Tacoma.

It'll pull it, stoping it in the event of a electric brake malfunction might be interesting though.

It's because marketing folks rate towing capacities now. Put 10k behind an F150 out here in Colorado and you kill it going over the cont. divide, unless you take precautions. Those ratings are for ideal circumstances.

I put 55 bags of 94 lbs Portland type II  cement   in a 1/2 ton C-10  74 chevy........

In the modern world, ie  for the last 40 years or so, a HALF-ton pickup rides comfortably,  decent weight balance,  lights aimed about right, braking ability about even front to  rear with 1000 pound payload.

 

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The traditional  leaf sprung 3/4 ton pickup would " settle in" and have a reasonably smooth ride with 1500 pounds in the bed.


An old school one ton dually truck  would be a hard riding, kidney bruising bitch, with hair trigger  rear breaks and bad manners until it had at LEAST 2000 pounds  to settle the rear springs.

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The "Tonnage " rating was a basic MINIMUM comfortable road, so as not to be driving an empty pickup truck, bouncing sideways on gravel washboard, and  lacking traction on ice.

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Much of this no longer applies, now that  pickup trucks have CAR like suspensions, and coil  springs.

WE consider them 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton out of tradition, but Ford and Chevy don't officially call them that. They are 1500/2500, and F150/F250. So the O.P. question should really be "why do WE still call them 1/2 tons, when they no longer are". Old habits die hard.

They list that number with no passengers and fuel?

My Ram 2500's payload is only a little over 1200lbs after taking into account a full tank of fuel and 4 average adults.

A "small truck" only needs to carry this much weight (for me to be happy)...........







Aloha, Mark